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Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 11/2018

01-11-2018 | Original Paper

Community pharmacists’ experiences and people at risk of suicide in Canada and Australia: a thematic analysis

Authors: Andrea L. Murphy, Randa Ataya, Dani Himmelman, Claire O’Reilly, Alan Rosen, Luis Salvador-Carulla, Ruth Martin-Misener, Fred Burge, Stanley Kutcher, David M. Gardner

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 11/2018

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Abstract

Purpose

To explore Canadian and Australian community pharmacists’ practice experiences in caring for people at risk of suicide.

Methods

We conducted a thematic analysis of 176 responses to an open-ended extension question in an online survey.

Results

Four themes were identified and include referrals and triage, accessibility for confiding, emotional toll, and stigma. Subthemes included gatekeeping the medication supply, sole disclosure, planning for end of life, concerns of support people, assessing the validity of suicidality, gaps in the system, not directly asking, ill-equipped, resources in the pharmacy, relying on others to continue care, and attention seeking.

Conclusions

Community pharmacists are caring for patients at risk of suicide frequently, and often with patients seeking the help of pharmacists directly. Pharmacists engage in activities and actions that would be considered outside of the traditional dispensing roles and provide support and intervention to people at risk of suicide through collaboration and other mechanisms. Further research to determine appropriate education and training and postvention supports is required.
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Metadata
Title
Community pharmacists’ experiences and people at risk of suicide in Canada and Australia: a thematic analysis
Authors
Andrea L. Murphy
Randa Ataya
Dani Himmelman
Claire O’Reilly
Alan Rosen
Luis Salvador-Carulla
Ruth Martin-Misener
Fred Burge
Stanley Kutcher
David M. Gardner
Publication date
01-11-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 11/2018
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1553-7

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